Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2012, 9, 776-785
© 2012 Human Kinetics, Inc.
An Inside Look at Active Transportation in Bogotá:
A Qualitative Study
Janeth Mosquera, Diana C. Parra, Luis Fernando Gomez,
Olga Sarmiento, Tom Schmid, and Enrique Jacoby
Background: The health benefits of physical activity are well documented in scientific literature. Bicycling
for transportation is a modality of physical activity that people can incorporate easily into their daily lives.
Methods: A qualitative study using 11 semi-structured individual interviews and 5 focus groups was conducted
among 31 male and 13 female adult residents of Bogotá, Colombia in 2006, to explore barriers and facilitators of bicycle use for transportation purposes. People were selected based on socioeconomic status, age,
and gender. Thematic analysis complemented with thematic network analysis was used to analyze the data.
Results: Six main themes emerged from the study: 1) general acknowledgment of individual and collective
benefits of bicycle use, 2) built environment conditions were linked with bicycle use, 3) some social factors
affect bicycling negatively, 4) people perceived conflicts over public space related to the use of bike-paths, 5)
general negative public perception of bicyclists, and 6) gender differences influence patterns of bicycle use.
Conclusion: The findings from this qualitative study show that various social and physical barriers must be
addressed to increase bicycle use as a means of transportation in Bogotá.
Keywords: active commuting, bicycling, physical activity, Ciclorutas, Colombia
The health benefits of moderate and vigorous physical activity (PA) are extensively documented in scientific
literature.1 PA has been associated with a lower risk of
cardiovascular diseases,2,3 obesity,4,5 diabetes,6,7 and the
reduction of mental health problems.8 In spite of this
growing body of knowledge, physical inactivity is a serious health risk factor, especially in large urban setting.9
In most cases, the infrastructure of urban cities is not
designed to stimulate and support alternative means of
active transport such as walking or bicycling.10
There has been a growing interest in the health
and environmental benefits of bicycle use as a means
of transportation.11 Bicycling is a modality of PA that
people can easily incorporate into their daily lives and
that can contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
car noise, and traffic congestion.12 In addition, bicycling
is a nonmotorized mode of travel with low access costs
compared with cars and is efficient in covering moderate
Mosquera and Gomez are with the Health Division, FES Foundation, Bogotá, Colombia. Parra is with the George Warren
Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St.
Louis, MO, and the Prevention Research Center in St. Louis,
MO. Sarmiento is with the Dept of Social Medicine, University of the Andes, Bogotá, Colombia. Schmid is with the Dept
of Physical Activity and Health, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Jacoby is with the Non Communicable Diseases Unit, Pan American Health Organization,
Washington, D.C.
776
distances within and between both urban and suburban
areas.13
Despite the practicality and health benefits of bicycling, its prevalence is declining worldwide as “modernization” gives priority to motorized means of transportation, especially to the use of private cars. However, these
trends are not universal. For instance, in Canada many
efforts have been made to increase bicycle use, and it
is reported that 1.2% of all trips to work are made by
bicycle, representing an increase of 10% in comparison
with previous years.14 In the Netherlands, 28% of urban
trips are made by bicycle.15 The situation is different in
the United States (U.S.), where only 0.3% of all trips
are made by bicycle. This discrepancy can be explained
in part by different land-use and transportation policies,
which encourage the use of private automobiles.16
In recent years there has been an increasing interest
in the potential influence of policy and environmental
interventions on active transportation.17–19 Specifically,
the construction of bike-paths, the accessibility to parking and shower facilities at the work place, the improvement of safety conditions for bicycle users, and the use
of economic incentives, may all play an important role
in increasing bicycle use as an active means of transportation.20,21 One study confirms that both perceived
and objective environmental conditions can act either as
barriers or facilitators of bicycle use.22
Many cities in Latin American encourage bicycle
use through the Ciclovias-recreativas programs, which
temporarily closes streets to motorized transportation
and allow access only to pedestrians and cyclists.23,24
Active Transportation in Bogotá 777
Particularly, the city of Bogotá has developed initiatives
to promote bicycling as a strategy to improve urban
mobility and reduce traffic congestion.25
Bicycle Use as a Means
of Transportation in Bogotá
Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, has more than 7 million inhabitants, of which 28% live in poverty, and only
about 20% of households own a car.26 As a result of the
decentralization process of the country that began in the
mid-Eighties, Colombian municipalities have greater
political and fiscal autonomy. Moreover, municipalities
have been granted new authority, including control over
urban planning regulations. These reforms and other
Figure 1 — Bogotá Ciclorutas Map, 2006.
social factors have enabled Bogotá to undertake important
social and physical urban changes that have started to be
implemented since 1990.27
Changes intended to promote urban mobility include
the development of a mass transit system using buses that
operate in exclusive lanes (TransMilenio), a network of
bike-paths throughout the city (Ciclorutas), and strategies
to restrict public and private car use such as “Car free
day” and other car use restriction policies. Complementing TransMilenio, the city has begun an extensive project
involving the creation of a network of approximately 316
km of Ciclorutas (Figure 1). This project encourages
bicycle use as a means of transportation with the goals of
reducing air pollution, traffic congestion, and automobile
dependence. The city’s goal is to have 400,000 bicycles
in use per day. The majority of bike-paths are separated
778 Mosquera et al
from motorized transit (Figure 2) and about 25% are
located in shared sections of the road. Although in its
original design, the TransMilenio system was to be linked
with the Ciclorutas network, only a few stations provide
bike-racks and only 5 have free parking lots.
In 1999, the city government created the Ciclorutas
Master Plan with the goal of encouraging daily bicycle
use. This Master Plan has 3 components: infrastructure,
social support, and legislative and institutional support.
The Plan also aims to link the system with other means
of transportation like walking, bicycling, and public
transportation. It also intends to build more public infrastructure such as parking facilities, implement efficient
street signals, and increase intermunicipal connections.28
Figure 2 — Designated bike-paths in Bogotá, Colombia, 2006.
Bicycle use in Bogotá appears to be increasing
modestly. In 1995, only 0.6% of people used the bicycle
regularly; this percentage increased to 2% in 1999 and
peaked at 4.4% in 2003.29 Moreover, an earlier study
found that only 3.3% of adults in Bogotá were sufficiently
active to meet health guidelines (ie, biking at least 30
minutes per day for 5 days or more per week) when using
the bicycle, and 15.6% reported using the bicycle for at
least 10 minutes during the week.30 The present qualitative study reveals that despite the significant investment
in infrastructure for the development of the Ciclorutas
and the efforts in enacting bicycle-friendly policies, there
are still many perceived barriers for the use of the bicycle
in Bogotá. In addition, this study showed that bicycle use
Active Transportation in Bogotá 779
was more common among young adult males from low
or middle socioeconomic strata who resided in neighborhoods with low slope of the terrain and with low rates of
vehicular-pedestrian accidents.
Moreover, Bogotá is experiencing a rapid increase
in the number of motorcycles and private cars traveling
the streets. During 2004 to 2007, at least 74,108 new
motorcycles were registered in the city;31 in 1995, the city
had 82.6 cars per 1000 inhabitants, a rate that increased
to 84.7 in 2005.27 Current trends of increasing number of
motorcycles and motor vehicles may produce a negative
influence on the likelihood of bicycle use .
Despite growing interest in bicycle use in Bogotá,
little qualitative information exists about the barriers and
facilitators related to its use. Accordingly, the aim of this
study was to document perceived barriers and facilitators
of bicycle use as a means of transportation among citizens
of Bogotá. In a city that is trying to prioritize alternative and active means of transportation, this qualitative
approach may provide a number of valuable insights for
policymakers and stakeholders regarding barriers and
facilitators of bicycle use in Bogotá.
Methods
This qualitative study was part of a broader study conducted in Bogotá to explore associations between the built
environment and physical activity and quality of life. The
study in mention used a cross-sectional multistage stratified sampling design and included 30 neighborhoods and
1334 adults 18 to 65 years of age.25 The present qualitative study is guided by several ecological approaches to
behavioral science and public health which focus on the
interaction between individuals and their physical and
sociocultural context.32,33 Sallis et al emphasized the
inclusion of an additional layer that includes the physical environment and that is relevant for the promotion of
active living.34 The study was reviewed and approved the
IRB of Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá.
Sample
Participants included both male (13) and female (31)
adults (20–64 years) from Bogotá (Table 1). Five participants in the focus groups and individual interviews
were selected from the larger quantitative study25 based
on regular bicycle use as a means of transportation. The
remaining participants were gathered through a snowball
sampling technique35 which is a nonprobability purposeful sampling.
Data Sources and Procedures
Eleven semi-structured individual interviews and 5 focus
groups were conducted during May–December 2006, in
6 out of the 30 neighborhoods selected for the broader
quantitative study.25 Four of the five focus groups were
a mix of men and women (42% and 58%, respectively)
and 1 group was comprised only by women. Within each
group participants were from the same socioeconomic
status to maintain intrahomogeneity. Each focus group
and individual interview session lasted an average of 2
hours and took place at different community sites in the
selected neighborhoods of Bogotá.
Saturation of information was the criteria used to
conclude the collection of information; that is, collection
of information was finished when ideas and opinions
began to be repeated or when no additional or new information emerged about the topic under inquiry.
A flexible interview guide was used to foster discussion; the guide allowed questions to be tailored according
to participants’ responses and ensured that critical topics
were covered during each interview. Among the topics
addressed were perceptions of bicycle use as well as
reasons, barriers, and facilitators of bicycle use (Table 2).
Table 1 Characteristics of Participants in Focus Groups and Interviews Related to Bicycle Use in
Bogotá, Colombia, 2006
• Men who reported bicycling to work or school daily
• Women and men who live in neighborhoods with Ciclorutas but who did not report using the bicycle regularly
• Women and men who live in neighborhoods with Ciclorutas and who reported using the bicycle regularly
• Women who live in neighborhoods with Ciclorutas but who did not report using the bicycle
Table 2 Topics Used to Promote Discussion in Focus Groups and
Interviews About Bicycle Use in Bogotá, Colombia, 2006
• Means of transportation for daily use
• General reasons for biking
• Reasons for biking to school or work
• Perceptions about people who ride bicycles
• Reasons for not using the bicycle
• Advantages and disadvantages of bicycle use in Bogotá
780 Mosquera et al
During the interviews field notes were taken and reviewed
afterward.
Data Analysis
All interviews were tape recorded after obtaining oral
informed consent. Verbatim transcriptions of the recordings were made. Thematic analysis complemented with
thematic network was used to analyze the information.36
Thematic network is a practical step-by-step strategy to
organize information from thematic analysis and it is also
useful to portray information in web-figures. Following
this technique, each transcript was read and reread to
codify the material into preliminary categories which
were created based on the main interest of this research
(barriers and facilitators of bicycling in Bogotá) and
relevant and recurrent segments of text were compiled
within these categories. Then, main themes in each text
were identified, and those emergent themes were used
to create 2 main thematic networks based on 2 global
themes: the social aspects associated with bicycling and
the physical infrastructure to support bicycling. Finally,
thematic networks were described and analyzed considering similarities in the experiences and perceptions among
participants in focus group and individual interviews
about bicycling as a means of transportation in Bogotá.
Findings
Occupations of participants included teachers, housewives, bank workers, retired workers, and informal workers (self-employed and street vendors). The main reasons
for bicycle use included travel to work, to shopping malls,
to grocery stores or supermarkets, and occasionally for
recreation purposes. Those who reported cycling to work
on a daily basis also reported minimal bicycle use for
recreational purposes during the weekends. Six major
themes emerged regarding bicycle use as a means of
transportation in Bogotá:
1. Recognition of individual and collective benefits of
bicycle use
2.Built environmental conditions associated with
bicycle use
3. Social factors that affect bicycling negatively
4.Invasion of designated bike-paths by pedestrians,
cars, and motorcyclists
5. Preconceptions attached to bicycle users
6. Gender differences in bicycle use.
Recognition of Individual and Collective
Benefits of Bicycle Use
Five subthemes have emerged in this study that serve to
illustrate the benefits of bicycle use.
Bicycle Use Improves Health. Participants reported
that bicycling, like any other exercise has health benefits,
especially for cardiovascular and mental health. For
example, a participant expressed that bicycle use
“increases pulmonary capacity and makes the heart
stronger.” Another participant stated that “bicycling is an
opportunity to escape the daily stress” and that “cyclists’
experience a feeling of freedom when riding a bicycle.”
Bicycle Use Improves Physical Appearance. Women
tended to recognize the aesthetic benefits of bicycling
more than men. A common response among females was
that bicycle use “strengthens the muscles and helps to
lose weight.” In this study, the perception of individual
benefits in cycling is mediated by gender, in this sense,
most women associated use of bicycles with improving
physical appearance and weight management while men
associated bicycle use with physical ability and a sense
of freedom.
Bicycle Reduces Air Pollution. In addition,
participants recognized bicycling as an activity that
“improves air quality” due to the lower number of private
cars on the street.
Bicycle Use Reduces Cost of Transportation. Participants identified bicycle use as “a good opportunity
to save money in comparison to other means of
transportation.” In fact, some participants provided an
average of how much money they could save per week
using bicycle trips instead of public transportation
(buses, Transmilenio or taxi).
Bicycle Use Increases Mobility and Contributes to
Save Time. Participants mentioned the importance of
bicycle use in saving time when compared with the use
of motorized vehicles, particularly during rush hours in
a city like Bogotá where traffic congestion has been a
critical issue. In fact, participants reported that “using
the bicycle is the best way to spend less time sitting in
traffic.”
Overall, study participants clearly perceive individual benefits of bicycle use related to greater mobility, savings, and mental and physical health; however,
the environmental benefits of cycling were not clearly
expressed. For instance, none of the participants mentioned the potential impact of bicycle use in controlling
global warming by reducing carbon emissions derived
from the use of motorized vehicles.
Built Environmental Conditions
Associated With Bicycle Use
Two subthemes illustrate built environment facilitators
of bicycle use.
Bike-Paths Network (Ciclorutas). Some participants
(particularly mothers) perceived that traffic injuries
related to bicycling have decreased as a result of the
construction of the bike-paths. One mother noted,
“Before the Ciclorutas were built, I was worried to let
my son go out to ride his bike, but now that I know he
uses the Ciclorutas I am less worried. . . .”
Active Transportation in Bogotá 781
Parking Spaces for Bicycles With Security. Construction
of bicycle parking spaces in locations like work places,
shopping-malls, and convenience stores, as well as the
provision of security to reduce the risk of bicycle theft
were identified as facilitators of bicycle use.
Two subthemes have emerged in this study that illustrates built environment barriers for bicycle use.
Deficiency in the Design of Ciclorutas (Completeness
and Connectivity). Lack of connectivity between bike-
paths, and the limited number of routes throughout the
city were the most cited barriers for bicycle use among
participants that were aware of the Ciclorutas. One
participant referred: “There are places in Bogotá that
do not have Ciclorutas, so the cyclists must share the
road and ride their bikes in between the cars where there
is high risk of injury; this is why there are accidents,
sometimes. For example, the south highway does not
have bike-paths, and those cyclists are forced to ride on
the road in the middle of cars, which is very dangerous.”
Deficiency in Ciclorutas Conditions. Participants
reported lack of adequate physical infrastructure to
promote bicycling. Some problems mentioned by
participants were poor quality and deterioration of the
streets where the Ciclorutas are located (eg, cracks in
the pavement, lack of visibility of the painted lines on
the pavement).
Social Factors Which Affect Bicycling
Two subthemes have emerged in this study related to
social factors influencing bicycle us.
Safety Issues of Bicycle Use Related to Risk of Theft
and Assault. An important barrier for bicycle use is
negative past experiences of bicycle users or relatives
who have had a bicycle stolen. This concern is illustrated
by one participant’s remarks: “[To ride the bicycle] is
to put your-self at risk for being a victim of a robbery.
. . . For example, if I don’t have company to ride my
bike, I don’t go by myself. This is why I do not take my
bicycle out. I always have to have somebody by my side”
Safety Issues of Bicycle Use Related With Traffic
(Risk of Accidents). Participants almost unanimously
considered that the combination of motorized transit
(private cars), public transportation, and bike-paths
are dangerous to cyclists. All participants noted the
risk of using the bicycle as a means of transportation
in their daily life, particularly because of the fear of
traffic injuries. This was related to the perception that
both motorists and cyclists do not follow traffic norms
and laws.
The situation described by participants in this study
reflects a perception of social threat to cyclists, sometimes
leading to self-limiting and limiting their relatives to ride
the bike because they perceive a hostile environment to
cyclists.
Invasion of Designated Bike-Paths
by Pedestrians, Cars, and Motorcyclists
Two sub- themes emerged in this study to illustrate the
conflict over the public space designated to the bike-paths,
between pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
Pedestrians Walking on the Designated Bike-Paths
(Ciclorutas). When the bike-paths are separated from
motorized traffic, the cyclists reported problems like
misuse of bike-paths “by pedestrians walking and by
cars parked on the sidewalks and bike-paths.” In contrast,
pedestrians perceived problems with bike-paths; 1
participant stated that the bike-paths are “invading the
sidewalks” and “the space intended for pedestrians.”
Cars Do not Respect the Designated Bike-Paths and
the Cyclists. Participants aware of the Ciclorutas
also reported an invasion of the bike-paths, similar to
the one mentioned above, but by cars. Especially when
bike-paths and cars share the road, participants reported
perceptions like “bicycling increases the risk of injuries
because drivers do not respect cyclists.” Respondents
reported that more education and information is needed
for pedestrians and cyclists on the proper use of bikepaths, sidewalks, and shared roadways. One respondent
added, “People lack culture in order to prevent accidents;
they still don’t understand that the Ciclorutas are
designed only for bicycles.”
Participant’s perceptions would indicate that Bogotá
has not created the adequate social and political sense of
public space. Every citizen feels entitled to their space
and does not perceive public space as a shared space. In
addition, disputes over public space could be showing
perceptions of disparities in how the city has distributed
their public space among different sectors of the population. For instance, most bike-paths are built on pedestrian
sidewalks while traffic lanes are practically untouched.
This shows the hegemony of the car, in which its designated space is constantly expanding.
Preconceptions Attached to Bicycle Users
Five subthemes emerged to illustrate the different preconceptions that bicycle users face.
Cyclists Are Frugal. A preconception that emerged in
1 of the interviews was the perception of people that
use the bicycle as being frugal because “they do not
want to spend money in transportation.” In this case
“being a frugal cyclist” has a negative connotation in the
sense that it implies having no money for other means
of transportation.
Cyclists Are of Low Socioeconomic Status. Common
perceptions of cyclists included that they tend be from
a low socioeconomic class. One participant noted that
people assume “they cannot afford other means of
transportation.”
782 Mosquera et al
Cyclists Are Reckless and Risk Takers. In addition,
participants related that “cyclists have no respect for
pedestrians” and “they use the bicycle in a reckless
way.” Another participant mentioned, “There are many
irresponsible people, [such as] young boys that do not
think about their own life or the lives of others; now
you see in the bike-paths a lot of young boys riding
like crazy. . . . There is a lot of irresponsibility among
people who ride bicycles.” Moreover, taking into account
the continuous challenges that cyclists confront on the
street, such as traffic congestion and uncivil behaviors
of motorists and pedestrians, participants believed that
bicyclists are intrepid and risk their lives daily. One
participant said, “You must have a lot of courage to ride
a bike, I personally don’t do it.” Another noted, “You
have to be very courageous to ride the bicycle in this
city, because here in Bogotá people are very careless
and irresponsible . . . .”
Cyclists Are Associated With Delinquency. Participants
mentioned that because some thieves use bicycles to
commit their crimes to escape easily and quickly, people
could associate cyclists with delinquency. However,
as a participant noted, this perceived risk is mediated
by the type of clothes the cyclists are wearing; “It is
different for example if you are wearing a suit and are
well dressed, people don’t think much . . . but if you
are wearing a cap and jeans, then they keep an eye out
for you.”
The negative perception of cyclists in Bogotá shows
that bicycle use cannot be understood outside the context
in which this practice occurs. The little social recognition
of bicycling can act as a cultural barrier that competes
with the status of other means of transportation such as
the automobile. This social issue is different in European
countries where cycling is related to individual physical
and environmental responsibility, while in Bogotá is
associated with crime, lack of money and boldness in
a negative connotation. According to the results from
this study, bicycle users in Bogotá are not seen with
a positive image because this practice has little public
recognition. Bicycle users in Bogotá not only need to
cope with adverse physical infrastructure issues but also
with negative preconceptions of the public.
Gender Differences in Bicycle Use
Two subthemes emerged in this study that illustrates
gender differences in bicycle use.
Women Face More Barriers (Safety and Physical
Aesthetics Aspects). Compared with men, women
perceived greater risks as cyclists. These risks are
related to perceived safety issues such as feeling more
vulnerable to personal attacks, injuries, and theft. These
feelings of vulnerability largely result from women’s
perceptions of being physically weaker than men. As
a female participant noted, “Some of us women as
compared to men are relatively weak; if somebody
comes to you with a knife, like it happened to a friend
of mine, what can you do? You will probably not resist
or try to get away, but a man can react more aggressively
. . . this is why I say that men are different in that sense
. . . they can defend themselves easier.”
In addition, both men and women perceived disadvantages of bicycle use related for aesthetic reasons. A
participant noted, “Let’s take a woman that has to go to
work and dress very elegant. How is she going to ride
a bicycle wearing high heel shoes? How is she going to
carry her purse? How is she going to wear a skirt? . . .
So how can you be elegant and go to work on a bicycle
at the same time?”
Women Have a Later Learning Experience of Bicycle
Use as Compared With Men. This study also found the
existence of preconceptions about the ability of women
to ride a bicycle. This preconception is associated with
cultural factors, which includes the failure to teach
girls how to ride a bicycle at a young age or to even
teach them at all. In contrast, the majority of men learn
to ride a bicycle during their childhood. This disparity
causes women to have less practice riding a bicycle and
creates a negative self-perception about their ability.
Participants mentioned that one reason why girls are
less encouraged to ride a bike compared with boys is
because of parenting patterns. One participant stated,
“Men are not as protected as women. Therefore if a boy
says, ‘Mom I’m going out to play,’ parents respond, ‘Ok
go’; but if a girl says, ‘Mom, I’m going out to play,’
parents respond, ‘No, go back inside right away. . . .’”
Conclusions and Implications
This qualitative study found that in addition to investments in physical infrastructure, there is a need for
developing strategies to improve safety conditions,
reduce gender disparities, and increase social recognition of bicyclists. These efforts may play a relevant role
in increasing bicycle use as a means of transportation in
Bogotá. Risk of traffic accidents involving cyclists has
been reported as an important limitation for bicycle use
in several studies.37,38 This study found that participants
perceive that they put themselves at a greater risk of traffic
accidents when using the bicycle. These perceptions are
supported by objective information which shows that a
high proportion of cyclists are involved in traffic accidents in Bogotá.39 The perceived high risk for accidents
is particularly relevant for Ciclorutas that share the road
with motorized transit. In addition, for Ciclorutas located
on the sidewalk, pedestrians, bicycle users, and motorists
need to be educated to reduce the existing conflict over
public space identified by this study. Moreover, public
space recovery efforts need to consider preserving proportional shares of space for the bike-paths and pedestrian
sidewalks to prevent future conflicts.
Various studies have found that women are less likely
to use the bicycle when compared with men.40,41 This
study found that women faced more perceived barriers.
They feel more vulnerable to theft, injuries, and personal
Active Transportation in Bogotá 783
attacks. Unfortunately in Bogotá armed robbery and
aggravated assaults are not uncommon and this reinforces
the fear experienced not only by women but also by men.
In addition, some participants believed that women have
less opportunity to develop cycling skills due to a later
learning experience when compared with men. This study
showed that women have less opportunity to develop
cycling skills, highlighting cultural differences in the
Colombian society, which has different role expectations
for each gender.42 All of these aspects may help explain
the low prevalence of bicycling among women in Bogotá.
Prevalence of bicycle use as a means of transportation
among women is 0.8%, compared with 3.6% among
men.28 Large differences in the prevalence of bicycle use
between men and women have also been found in other
studies from Latin America.43 A different scenario is seen
in countries from Europe like Germany, the Netherlands,
and Denmark where there is a relatively high prevalence
of bicycle use among women.44 Two issues can help us
understand these differences across countries. First, in
European countries like the ones mentioned, there is a
larger proportion of appropriate physical infrastructure
for cycling, which could increase perceived safety among
women as it relates to traffic accidents, injuries, and
fatalities. Second, as found in this study, there are several
preconceptions attached to the ability of women to ride
bicycles in Bogotá, which complicates the adoption of
this behavior among women. This study suggests the
need to design initiatives that encourage women to use
the bicycle for both leisure and transportation purposes.
Urban planning efforts for construction of new bike-paths
should consider that the likelihood that a woman will use
the bike-paths is reduced if they are located in routes
shared with motorized traffic or in unsafe neighborhoods.
Despite the recognition that the Ciclorutas facilitate
bicycle use, several cultural and physical barriers should
be considered when implementing efforts to promote and
increase bicycle use as a means of transportation. While
the investments in physical infrastructure are necessary,
other considerations such as cultural norms (socially
accepted behaviors, gender roles, and the social status of
cyclists) need to be acknowledged if utilitarian bicycling
is to be increased in Bogotá.
Several strengths can be identified in this study. The
methodological approach contrasted the perceptions
of residents from neighborhoods with different urban
attributes, which provided opportunities for formulating
hypotheses for future studies. Criteria for participating in
the focus groups and interviews were established based on
results from a previous quantitative study so that findings
from that study could be better understood.25 In addition,
we oversampled neighborhoods of low and middle socioeconomic groups because bicycle use is more prevalent
among those neighborhoods when compared with those
of higher socioeconomic status.
Some limitations of this study also deserve notice.
Findings from this qualitative study should be interpreted
bearing in mind the small sample size and the lack of
variability between the participants in the study. Future
studies should explore in more detail differences by age,
gender, and educational level to better understand this
phenomenon. Children, adolescents and older adults
were not included in this study. It is likely that these age
groups would provide different experiences and perspectives related to bicycle use in Bogotá which also need to
be taken into account.
Some suggestions for policy makers may be drawn
from this study’s results, keeping in mind the small
sample size of the study. First, reducing gender disparities, as they related to bicycle use, by creating bicycling
friendly environments for women, developing campaigns
specifically tailored to women that focus on their needs
and motivating factors (including improved safety).
Second, continuing with the expansion and improvement of the Ciclorutas network in the city by increasing
its connectivity, increasing the number of traffic signals
on the bike-paths to inform pedestrians, cyclists, and
motorists about the rules and regulations of bicycle use.
Finally, increasing the number of parking facilities that
have security seemed to be an important facilitator for
bicycle use. This recommendation should be taken into
account by work places, shopping malls, schools, and
universities, among others.
Stronger efforts to advocate for increased bicycle
use should be made by the public health sector partnering
with nontraditional fields like urban planning, safety, and
transportation, due to the potential influence that these
fields have on health and quality of life.
Acknowledgments
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the
authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. JMB and LFG planned the
study design. DP contributed to the acquisition of data. JMB
performed the analyses and wrote the first manuscript draft. DP
and LFG also participated in the writing of the manuscript. OLS,
TS, and EJ provided thoughtful discussions and revised the
manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
This study was supported by a grant from the International
Union for Health Promotion and Education and from the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The authors thank
all team members from the built environment study in Bogotá.
We also thank the participants in this study who were cordial
enough to give their time and relate their personal experiences.
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